NABCA Releases Control States Nine-Liter Spirits Sales for May

June 19, 2014 - PRLog -- During May, nine-liter spirits case sales in the control states fell -2.6% compared to same period sales last year. Despite a modest 2013 comp, May’s sales were not impressive. Contributing factors are Michigan’s and Utah’s reporting four weeks of sales versus five weeks last year. Rolling-twelve month volume growth of 1.0% is down from April’s 1.4%. Idaho, Montgomery County Maryland, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wyoming reported monthly growth rates exceeding their twelve month trends.

Control state spirits shelf dollars grew 0.1% during May while trending at 3.8% during the past twelve months. Idaho, Montgomery County Maryland, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wyoming reported growth rates that exceeded their twelve month trends.

Price/Mix for May was 2.7%, down from April’s 3.7%.

May’s Control State spirits sales were sluggish as reported. However, consider:

-   Michigan, with 16% of the Control States’ spirits and dollars volumes, reported four weeks of sales for this May against five weeks last year, artificially deflating sales and skewing Control States results. Michigan had seven fewer selling days during this year’s May than last year’s.

-   Utah, with 2.5% of Control State spirits volume, reported four weeks of sales against five weeks last year: there were 6 fewer selling days during this year’s May.

-   After normalizing nine-liter spirits case sales for Michigan and Utah, May’s nine-liter case growth is 1.3%, and rolling-twelve month volumes show an increase of 1.3%. Likewise, after normalizing shelf dollars, May’s control states shelf dollar growth rate is 4.3%, and its twelve-month trend is 4.2%.

-   May’s normalized Price/Mix is 3.0%.

During May, Irish Whiskey, with 0.9% share of the control states spirits market, was the fastest growing category with 7.2% reported and a twelve month trend of 9.7%. Vodka, with 33% share, grew during the same periods at -1.7% and 0.9%. Cocktails grew at a rate exceeding its twelve-month trend.

May’s nine-liter wine case sales growth rate was -0.8%. Pennsylvania, New Hampshire, Utah, Mississippi, Montgomery County Maryland, and Wyoming reported 1.6%, -0.6 -17.3%, -6.2%, 0.6%, and 3.9%, respectively. Rolling-twelve month wine volume growth, 0.6%, was nearly flat with April’s 0.5%.